I think I'm f'd lol
09-13-2005, 06:08 PM
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I think I'm f'd lol Long story short... had a few bent pushrods so I finally got around to pulling them all out. Figured I would check them all while I had the valve covers off. One of the pushrods (#7 intake) had broken in half so the bottom half was still in the head. I used the method that I used last year to remove a broken pushrod out of the #2 intake side... which was a magnetic pen.
I tried and tried to get ahold of the pushrod but no luck. As I was pulling the magnet out, it attached itself to against the side of the hole where the pushrod comes up through the head and rests against the rocker. Pulled on the pen a bit to pull the magnet off but the freaking head of the magnet broke off just inside of the head. It's over too far to be able to reach it with anything and using another magnet will just press it down even further, right?
I don't see any other option other than pulling the head off to remove both the bottom half of the pushrod and the head of the magnet. I'm hoping some of you guys have some tricks that I could try out before I go through all of that mess.
I'm thinking some how being able to reverse the polarity of another pen magnet and see if it works but I'm a bit frustrated at this point lol
I tried and tried to get ahold of the pushrod but no luck. As I was pulling the magnet out, it attached itself to against the side of the hole where the pushrod comes up through the head and rests against the rocker. Pulled on the pen a bit to pull the magnet off but the freaking head of the magnet broke off just inside of the head. It's over too far to be able to reach it with anything and using another magnet will just press it down even further, right?
I don't see any other option other than pulling the head off to remove both the bottom half of the pushrod and the head of the magnet. I'm hoping some of you guys have some tricks that I could try out before I go through all of that mess.
I'm thinking some how being able to reverse the polarity of another pen magnet and see if it works but I'm a bit frustrated at this point lol 
09-13-2005, 07:09 PM
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I'm going to see if I can find a stronger pen magnet tomorrow... I can take a piece of wire and poke it in through the hole, the magnet is attached to 'ceiling' of the head and wouldn't budge with the wire. Maybe tomorrow with some daylight I can engineer a way to pull it around so that I can get ahold of it.
Since it's on the intake side, I'm guess/hoping I could access both the pushrod and magnet by pulling the intake manifold off like suggested?
Since it's on the intake side, I'm guess/hoping I could access both the pushrod and magnet by pulling the intake manifold off like suggested?
09-13-2005, 08:17 PM
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There is a tool used often in electronics that could be of some use to you now. I don't know what it's called exactly, but it is a long flexible metal tube that on one end has a retractable grappling claw that is operated by a spring on the other end of the device. They're flexable enough to get in there and get the job done. If there is any sort of bur on the broken pushrod, you would probably be able to get that out using the same tool.
Good luck man.
Good luck man.
09-13-2005, 08:34 PM
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Hrmmmm good idea. I work in the failure analysis lab for a microchip company... maybe I can scrounge up something tomorrow. Thanks for the ideas guys! 
Guess I've learned my lesson about losing my patience when working with the car.
Guess I've learned my lesson about losing my patience when working with the car. Trending Topics
09-13-2005, 08:54 PM
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Their called mechanical fingers but you probably won't be able to find a set small enough to get the fingers open and grasp the magnet if it's in the push rod passage way. You can try fishing it out using a straight pick or a small 90 degree pick with a stronger magnet attached to the end of the pick outside the head.
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Originally Posted by CaptUSA
There is a tool used often in electronics that could be of some use to you now. I don't know what it's called exactly, but it is a long flexible metal tube that on one end has a retractable grappling claw that is operated by a spring on the other end of the device. They're flexable enough to get in there and get the job done. If there is any sort of bur on the broken pushrod, you would probably be able to get that out using the same tool.
Good luck man.
Good luck man.
09-14-2005, 09:00 AM
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Guess I'll be heading to Advance Auto after work to buy a larger magnet, some type of 90 degree pick, and the mechanical fingers as well. I'm hoping I don't have to pull the intake manifold... I wouldn't mind it so much if I still had that LS6 intake laying around.
Thanks again for the suggestions guys.
Thanks again for the suggestions guys.
09-14-2005, 09:23 AM
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You can't reach the pieces bu pulling the intake. This is LS1 remember?
IMO I would yank both heads off to check any piston damage and any lifter damage as well.
IMO I would yank both heads off to check any piston damage and any lifter damage as well.
09-14-2005, 10:19 AM
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Back before rods were used to hold lifters up during a cam swap many used pen magnets to hold the lifters up....
My friend did this and had a scare when he could net get one magnet off the lifter....after much tugging it finally came off....
If your push rod broke, I would be concerned that the lifter or cam lob might be bad. Consider ripping the heads off to check these.....
Your busted magnet might have been a lucky break if it turns out you have other damage that can be fixed now before the engine goes POW!
My friend did this and had a scare when he could net get one magnet off the lifter....after much tugging it finally came off....
If your push rod broke, I would be concerned that the lifter or cam lob might be bad. Consider ripping the heads off to check these.....
Your busted magnet might have been a lucky break if it turns out you have other damage that can be fixed now before the engine goes POW!
09-14-2005, 12:56 PM
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Back before rods were used to hold lifters up during a cam swap many used pen magnets to hold the lifters up....
My friend did this and had a scare when he could net get one magnet off the lifter....after much tugging it finally came off....
If your push rod broke, I would be concerned that the lifter or cam lob might be bad. Consider ripping the heads off to check these.....
Your busted magnet might have been a lucky break if it turns out you have other damage that can be fixed now before the engine goes POW!
My friend did this and had a scare when he could net get one magnet off the lifter....after much tugging it finally came off....
If your push rod broke, I would be concerned that the lifter or cam lob might be bad. Consider ripping the heads off to check these.....
Your busted magnet might have been a lucky break if it turns out you have other damage that can be fixed now before the engine goes POW!
09-14-2005, 01:08 PM
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Originally Posted by nostyta
Hate to hear that about your car , when did you break the push rods?
The car seemed to be running pretty good when we were at Bristol.
The car seemed to be running pretty good when we were at Bristol.
I think I've had some slightly bent pushrods for some time now... probably acquired most of them right after I put the new rear in and was getting used to the shift points. I know I was banging off the rev limiter pretty hard for a while there. Guess I've put so many miles on them... they slowly started to bend more and more until one finally broke and it was obvious to hear. I knew the car felt dead in the upper RPM's for some time now but with work I never had much of a chance to tear it down to take a look at it.
Just happens to be my luck that I sold my heads/cam setup not too long ago... if I have to tear all this **** down I may as well replace it with some good stuff.
09-14-2005, 01:25 PM
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If you just start the engine that magnet will probably find its way out one way or another.....
With a broken pushrod it's best that you pull the head to see if there is any hidden carnage....
With a broken pushrod it's best that you pull the head to see if there is any hidden carnage....
09-14-2005, 02:09 PM
#18
Push rods will not keep bending till one day the breake. I would look to see what is going on. something is not right. if it is a missed shift or over rev, then I would make sure that you havent hurt any thing. take the heads off at the very least. Do not just replace the push rods, this is a bad move.
09-14-2005, 02:32 PM
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Originally Posted by SupahRich
What's up Kevin
I think I've had some slightly bent pushrods for some time now... probably acquired most of them right after I put the new rear in and was getting used to the shift points. I know I was banging off the rev limiter pretty hard for a while there. Guess I've put so many miles on them... they slowly started to bend more and more until one finally broke and it was obvious to hear. I knew the car felt dead in the upper RPM's for some time now but with work I never had much of a chance to tear it down to take a look at it.
Just happens to be my luck that I sold my heads/cam setup not too long ago... if I have to tear all this **** down I may as well replace it with some good stuff.
I think I've had some slightly bent pushrods for some time now... probably acquired most of them right after I put the new rear in and was getting used to the shift points. I know I was banging off the rev limiter pretty hard for a while there. Guess I've put so many miles on them... they slowly started to bend more and more until one finally broke and it was obvious to hear. I knew the car felt dead in the upper RPM's for some time now but with work I never had much of a chance to tear it down to take a look at it.
Just happens to be my luck that I sold my heads/cam setup not too long ago... if I have to tear all this **** down I may as well replace it with some good stuff.